ffs someone sort out the tags then. Oh well, still gonna give this a spin anyway

Album Rating: 4.0

sowing stop name dropping such fantastic albums or I'm actually gonna have to listen to this

Album Rating: 5.0

This is one of those albums that's raw and beautiful at the same time. You're gonna hear some screeching vocals and scratchy production, but if you're OK with that, then these guys are legit.

Album Rating: 4.0

oh fuck this is really good

Album Rating: 4.0

grinning like a madman throughout the title track closer

Album Rating: 4.0

i just bought this and preordered their CD and LP for their upcoming album what the fuck am i doing someone stop me i have no money

Album Rating: 5.0

Hahaha that was exactly how I reacted Asleep. I already have everything pre-ordered as well. These guys are something extremely special and I can't contain my joy and zealousness.

Also can we talk about how fucking cute it is that the band offers to hand deliver the CD to anyone who orders it in Toronto

okay it's a 3. the bookends are great, i like a lot of what's going on musically and country embellishments. def agree with jonny tho about the dying cat vox. still feel this is some wasted potential

Album Rating: 5.0

Gyro I've never been this disappointed in an opinion of yours but it's OK. Do you like Neutral Milk Hotel, The Microphones, Bright Eyes, and early Foxing? To me, this feels like the four of them tossed into a blender. Very raw, but also very hungry to be creative and deliver upon that appetite with tons of energy and gusto.

Album Rating: 4.0

It's sloppy and sincere and chaotic and charming and I'm not at all convinced that it ticks the usual objective music excellence boxes but who gives a fuck it's the most blatantly unadorned example of genuine creative expression I've heard in a long while by a bunch of dudes making handmade unique lyric books for christs sakes heck

Album Rating: 5.0

^exactly, I just want to buy these guys a beer. They're so genuine it almost hurts.

sorry sowing =[ to me it feels like a mediocre distillation of those if anything. well, ugh, i shouldn't say mediocre. i think this thing has a ton of potential and the vocalist does a lot of things i like but it still is very grating at times and hard to look past. maybe i'll give it a third listen and see how i feel. i always weigh in on things after 1 or 2 listens and end up changing my mind, but for the moment i can't see this growing a whole lot. await a comment from me a year later calling this a masterpiece lmao

Album Rating: 5.0

Ha I get that man. I do the same thing all the time and change my mind as the year goes on. No need to apologize for your opinion. I "get" the screeching vocals complaint as well as objective criticism of the amateurish production. However, I'm at a point in my music journalism career where I value passion and honesty over "sounding nice" - I want something that screams it right in my face, makes it ugly and raw, and shakes me free from my pleasant, indifferent slumber. That's not meant to sound holier-than-thou by the way, it's just what I'm craving at this time.

Album Rating: 4.0

For sure. I could imagine hating this in another state of mind, but right now it just so happens that garbled, barely-controlled almost-singing atop a multifaceted and unpredictable musical backdrop was just what I needed.

Album Rating: 5.0

Thing is, I don't even think it's that raw or garbled. It's just raw and garbled enough :-). It's got character and exudes real passion. It's not sanded down and smoothed out for radio play and I'm perfectly happy about that.

Album Rating: 4.0

Agreed - full to the brim with character and passion.



Just received a very sweet message from them in response to asking for one of their handwritten booklets. Cheers for highlighting them, sowing.

Album Rating: 4.5

well this is going to be re-listened to quite a few times

Album Rating: 3.5

This singer is kind of like a Chris Farren and Jeff Rosenstock hybrid. I dig it!

Album Rating: 5.0

That's awesome Asleep! They seem very friendly.

Regarding Farren and Rosenstock, I don't entirely disagree. I probably undersold the punk influence because there's definitely some here in addition to indie rock and country.

Album Rating: 3.5

That really came threw on "Staring At Americans." I think he really suits the punk direction but when he isn't doing that, ehh, it is a little too much. "Lonesome As I've Been" was really tough to sit through.